Local authority wants Bucks residents' views on council tax priorities ahead of next budget

Bucks Council wants your views on where it should look to spend its next council tax budget.

The local authority has launched a survey where residents can tell those in power what issues most affect them.

Feedback will be assessed ahead of the 2024-25 council tax budget.

Bucks Council has stated it is still dealing with significant financial pressures due to rising costs and added demand on services.

These issues stem from the cost of living crisis which has been affecting businesses and individuals for the past 18 months.

A council spokesperson said: “In particular, the council has seen social care costs escalate even further in recent months due to many more vulnerable residents needing our help.

"With everyone managing their own cost of living pressures, it’s really important that residents tell the council how they want to see next year’s council tax spent.”

Council tax is used to fund a number of local services including: bin collections, road repairs, and care support.

Bucks Council advises that it also funds one off spends, such as the emergency road resurfacing works authorised after winter this term.

Residents can access the ‘Money Matters’ survey online here, it went live today (31 August). Bucks Council estimates that the survey takes 10 minutes to complete.

A budget is decided by the council in February and comes into effect on 1 April.

Bucks Council Leader, Councillor Martin Tett, said: “Budget setting in recent times has become extremely difficult. While we are seeing some more stability and a slowing of inflation, we have also seen very significant rises in social care costs, with many more people coming through the door needing our help. It means we’re already spending more than we budgeted for this year on services like social care and temporary accommodation and if this trend continues, it puts even more pressure on our overall budgets.

"I have to level with people and explain that we will have to take some really tough decisions to balance our books. We know residents have been experiencing ongoing cost of living pressures, so we face very difficult choices on how we provide some services going forward.”